Robert P. WatsonWhen Washington Burned: The British Invasion of the Capital and a Nation's Rise from the Ashes

I lived in Washington, DC and the Washington, DC, area for a long time, and I have a strong interest in its history, so I was very excited to see a history written by a professional historian of the British attacks on Washington, DC and Baltimore in the War of 1812.Watson's book checks in at 217 pages of text, is fully footnoted, and covers the Battle of Bladensburg, the burning of public buildings in Washington, DC, by the British, the subsequent attack on Baltimore, and examines the importance of these events within the context of the War of 1812 and more broadly, US history.I found the writing to be uneven - it's a challenge to write about military actions in a clear, nuanced way, and in my view, Watson's descriptions of the military actions were sometimes hyperbolic and confusing. For instance, from his description of the British effort to force the bridge at the Battle of Bladensburg - "Scott was with the the advance unit, which was massacred on the bridge and forced to retreat at a full run." Another example, from the attack on Baltimore, "Strickler [American commander] organized a disciplined retreat. Although the Americans fled the battlefield..."In the other portions of the book, Watson's writing is clear. He provides an overview of the struggles of Madison's administration of the War of 1812, details the efforts to save important documents, and local interactions with the British in DC. Watson also discusses the debate about whether or not (and possibly where) to relocate the US capital following the burning of the White House, Capitol building, and Navy Yard. He also offers a nice analysis of the broader implications for the attack - how it was shocking yet helped to arouse national spirit.I am thankful to see this account and thought it was a good read on the topic.